Campus poll in 6 more colleges cancelled, tension in Utkal Varsity

Bhubaneswar: With the students’ union elections in Odisha just four days away, the authorities of six more colleges today cancelled elections in four colleges and declared sine die due to violence.

Besides, tension prevailed in the Utkal University campus on the issue of validation of candidature of a student.

Tension ran high in Maharishi College of Natural Law in the capital city after the candidature of two presidential candidates and two general secretaries was rejected by the authorities during scrutiny.

Protesting the decision of the authorities, the irate students had a scuffle with some college staff in which one of the employees was injured.

The irate students later blocked the road by burning tyres urging the authorities to reconsider their decision.

Sensing trouble, the authorities declared the college sine die.

“Most of the teachers are not coming to the class regularly. Besides, there are a number of vacant posts of teachers in our college. But the principal is not bothered about this. If the attendance of the teachers is not checked, the college authorities have no right to check our attendance”, an irate student told media persons.

Similar situation prevailed in MPC Autonomous College and MPC Junior College in Baripada. Soon after the authorities rejected the nominations of four candidates, a group of irate students barged into the college office premises and ransacked office properties including computers, printers, CCTV cameras and furniture. They also tried to set the office of the principal on fire. Police later arrested five students including a presidential candidate. The college authorities later declared sine die.

Talking to media persons, principal of MPC Autonomous College, Banaja Mohanty said following the violence, the college authorities handed over the college premises to the district administration and declared the college sine die.

Election was also cancelled in MPC Junior College and sine die was declared following clash between two student groups.

In Bhadrak district, authorities of Atal Bihari College, Basudevpur, cancelled the election and declared the college sine die after irate students ransacked the college protesting the rejection of nomination of their presidential candidate.

As the situation went out of control, police resorted to mild lathi charge in which two students were injured.

In Puri district, the students of Gop College, under the banner of Chhatra Ekata Manch, took out a protest rally and burnt the effigy of the principal after the college authorities cancelled the election. Besides, authorities of Alarnath College in Brahmagiri in the district cancelled the election and declared the college sine die due to violence. Protesting the decision, the students later staged road blockade on Satapada-Puri road disrupting vehicular traffic for nearly two hours. However, the students withdrew the blockade after police rushed to the spot and pacified them.

In Bhubaneswar, tension prevailed in Utkal University campus in the afternoon after some students locked the main gate demanding arrest of a presidential candidate whose nomination was validated by the authorities despite his criminal antecedents.

The irate students had a scuffle with the security personnel as they tried to lock up the main gate.

The students later came to the office of the vice chancellor at the central office and demanded the arrest of the presidential candidate.

Briefing the media Gayatri Satpathy, a girl student contesting for the post of president, said how a person having criminal records can be allowed to contest the election.

Rubbishing the allegations, Mahesh Prasad, another presidential candidate, said the students will give a fitting reply to his rival candidates and their supporters who are trying to malign the university.

There was mild tension in Rama Devi Women’s University following rejection of nomination paper of a candidate while students of Ispat College in Rourkela staged demonstration in protest against the rejection of nominations of some candidates.

In Keonjhar, tension prevailed in Anandpur college after the authorities rejected the nomination of a presidential candidate. Protesting the decision, irate students staged demonstration after locking the main gate of the college.

With the final list of candidates announced today, campaigning has been intensified.

As per schedule, “Why I stand for” meeting will be held on October 4. The election will be held on October 5 and the results will be announced in the afternoon on the same day.